Reports: Amazon is starting its own air cargo operation, wants to use 20 Boeing freighter jets

Last month, Vice’s Motherboard published a report describing an “air freight transportation operation” run by Amazon.

Now, more clues point to a legitimate air cargo service operated by the Seattle-based online giant that would give the company more control over its delivery network.

Photo Illustration by Monica Nickelsberg.

Cargo Facts reported today that Amazon is building its own cargo operation and is in talks with Boeing to acquire up to 20 767-freighter jets to help deliver packages to customers around the U.S.

The Seattle Times also reported about Amazon’s plans on Thursday, but noted that the company is looking to lease jets, not purchase them, because it does not have an Air Operator’s Certificate, among other reasons.

When asked for comment, Amazon.com provided this statement to GeekWire: “We have a longstanding practice of not commenting on rumors and speculation.”

Boeing, meanwhile, did not have comment.

The Motherboard story from last month noted that a mysterious company, presumably Amazon, was flying four cargo flights per day out of Ohio’s Wilmington Air Park, which previously served as a facility for DHL until 2008.

Photo: Julie Clopper / Shutterstock.com.

The mystery company used four contracted Boeing 767s that fly to and from four U.S. airports — Allentown, Ontario (CA), Tampa, Oakland — that all have nearby Amazon distribution centers.

DHL previously employed 7,500 at the airport in Wilmington, which has eight industrial facilities and is a “perfect setup” for Amazon, one source told Vice.

The Seattle Times reported that Scott Ruffin, who joined Amazon in 2013, is heading up the air cargo operation. On his LinkedIn profile, Ruffin’s job title is “Director of Planning and Innovation, Transportation by Amazon” and his job description is below:

Leading the best and brightest to create new transportation and delivery solutions for Amazon customers worldwide. Responsible for delivery model engineering, transportation strategy, and network planning/optimization for Amazon’s largest growing transportation segment covering the majority of Amazon’s customers and encompassing hundreds of millions of packages and billions of dollars in annual spend.

The Times also noted that UPS veteran Kniffen Kelly is also part of the project as the company’s director of “sort center engineering.”

Taylor Soper is GeekWire's managing editor, responsible for coordinating the newsroom, planning coverage, and editing stories. A native of Portland, Ore., and graduate of the University of Washington, he was previously a GeekWire staff reporter, covering beats including startups and sports technology. Follow him @taylor_soper and email taylor@geekwire.com.